The 55-year-old feels his side’s inability to score a second goal and kill off the hosts cost them dearly as Diego Simeone’s men salvaged a point in the derby

Rafael Benitez says it was a case of “two points lost” after a late goal by Luciano Vietto saw Atletico Madrid hold Real to a 1-1 draw at Vicente Calderon on Sunday.

The Bernabeu side missed the chance to go top of La Liga, due to Villarreal’s defeat to Levante, despite taking the lead after just nine minutes through Karim Benzema.

Keylor Navas saved a penalty by Antoine Grizemann before the break but an 83rd minute goal by Vietto, his first for the club, salvaged a draw, much to Benitez’s frustration.

“We lacked the second goal to finish the game. In the first half we were better. We have to give credit to Atletico because they pressured and showed fight,” he told reporters.

“We lost two points with the way the game has developed. They risked in the second half. In the first half my team played to win.”

Real Madrid also saw Dani Carvajal forced off with an ankle injury before the break and Benitez says they will have to “wait and see” how bad the problem is with the defender now a doubt for Spain’s Euro 2016 qualifiers against Luxembourg and Ukraine.